Needle and the like



Nev. 5, 1929. s. w. FINCH NEEDLE AND THE LIKE Filed June 18, 1928Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE III'IEEDLEAHDTHELIKEApplication fled June 18,

This invention relates to needles, and more particularly a needleadapted for repairing runs or ravelings in stockings and other knittedfabrics.

Needles now in use for such purposes ordinarily have a body member witha hook formed at one end and a. latch member pivoted to the body member,the free end of the latch member being adapted to fly up and down as theneedle is moved forward and backward through the fabric being repaired,thus opening and closing the hook as may be necessaryjo perform therepair work. The problem with such needles is to cause 1;, the free endof the latch to be raised quickly during the downward movement of thehook member, so that the point of the latch will not catch in the fabricand delay the operation or injure the fabric. 7

My needle has no pivoted member and consequently does not encounter thedifiiculty above pointed out. My needle has an elongated body member, atone end of which a i hook is formed, said body member also haying alongitudinally disposed opemng in which a latch member slides back andforth for the purpose of opening and closing the hook. There are alsosuitable means for limiting the distance through which the slidingmember can move in longitudinal direction away from the hook and alsomeans to prevent or limit the amount of the turning motion of thesliding member.

One of the numerous advantages of this new type of needle is itscheapness and simplicity of construction. Another advantage is the factthat, by reason of its compact con struction, it is necessary to movethe needle only a relatively short distance backward and forward throughthe fabric in order to reknit or crochet the rungs of the ladderconstituting the runner portion of the stocking and thus make therepair, whereas, with pivoted-latch needles heretofore used, a muchlonger movement of the needle is necessary 1988. Serial No; 286,207.

to accomplish this purpose. This shorter movement of my needle resultsin greater speed and ease of operation than has heretofore beenpossible.

My needle also has the advantage, (because of its simplicity ofconstruction and the absence of the awkward swinging latch of the oldtype of needle) of being practically free from the possibility of damageduring its operation and also while it is lying around in a shop whennot in use.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevation,partly in section, of my needle in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the body member of the needle.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the sliding latch member of the needle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the beveled end portion of the slidinglatch.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, partly in sec- 'tion, of a somewhat modifiedform of the needle.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a further modifiedform of the needle.

Fig. 8 is a still further modified form of the needle.

Fig. 9 is a View of the rear end of the needle shown in Fig. 2 taken onthe line H.

F ig. 10 is an enlarged view of fabric containing a run or raveling ofthe kind for the reknitting or crocheting of which my needle isprimarily designed.

The preferred form of my needle consists of the body member 1, thesliding latch memher 2 and the spring-carrying member 3. For conveniencein operation the needle may be mounted in a handle 4. The needle in thisform includes a tube, and a rod adapted to fit slidabiy in said tube.there being located at the rear of the sliding rod, or latch. a rigidlyheld member which carries a spring portion 5 adapted to bear against alongitudinally disposed surface formed in the rear functions in thefollowing manner.

portion of the sliding latch member; said spring acts to prevent therotation of the latch member and also frictionally conta'cts the latchmember in such manner as to prevent the latch from closing the hook 6until the latch is moved by a thread in the manner hereinafterdescribed. The spring-carrying member also has a shoulder 7 adapted tostop the rearward movement of the latch member at the desired point. Thespring-carrying member is rigidly fixed in the rear end of the bodymember, preferably by forcing the side walls of the body member againstthe sides of the rear end of the spring-carrying member as indicated at8 and also as shown in Fig. 9. This method of fastening thespring-carrying member in the needle is desirable because it can bequickly accomplished when the different parts of the needle are in placeby putting the end of the needle between the jaws of a vise andupsetting the end of the body member as shown in Fig. 9. Moreover, theupset portion of the body member can be easily restored to normalsubstantially round condition by applying a vise to the oblong portionsof the end thus releasing the pressure on the end of the spring-carryingmember and permitting the said member as Well as the sliding latchmember to be removed from the body member for the purpose of making anynecessary repairs or substitution of parts.

The front end of the sliding latch member is beveled upwardly andrearwardly at 9, said beveled face having an opening 10 in the upperportion thereof. I

The latch slants downwardly and rearwardly at 11 and then extendsrearwardly at 12 to the point where-the shoulder 13 is formed. The rearportion of the latch is cut away to form the surface 14 against whichthe spring 5 bears for the purpose herein elsewhere stated.

The needle, when properly assembll iald,

fabric to be repaired is first placed under a slight tension, preferablybeing held over a hollow cylindrical vessel of substantial depth. Thehook end of the needle is then forced into the fabric to be repaired at15, just back of one ofthe last loops of the run or raveling, and thetension on the fabric 18 then somewhat increased. As the needle ispushed downwardly through the fabric the loop 15 slips up over the hookand also over the top of the beveled portion 9 and along the face 12until it encounters the shoulder 13 and closes over the body member andlatch member at that point, this movement of the loop serving to openthe hook. At the same time the thread16straightens out to form part ofthe run. The spring 5 by frictionally engaging vents i-he the rear endof the latch at 14 prelatch from prematurely closing the hook at thisstage of the operation when visible repair.

the oint of the hook 6 will be below and beyon the straightened crossthread 16, and as the upward movement of the needle starts, the hook 6picks up the thread 16, and the loop 15 (which, as above stated,incloses the body member and latch member below the shoulder 13) slidesback over the surface 12 encounters the beveled portion 11 and forcesthe latch member downwardly so that the point of the hook enters theopening 10 and closes the hook. The loop 15 slides downwardly over theridge formed by beveled portions 11 and 9 and over. the hook 6, leavingthe thread 16 in the hook portion of the needle to form a new loop. Thedownward and upward movements of theneedle are then repeated. On eachsuch downward movement the loop lying in the hook slips up over thebeveled portion 9 and opens the hook as the point of the hook passesbelow the next adjacent cross thread; and on each upward movement of theneedle the hook grasps the adjacent cross thread, and the loop contactsthe beveled face 11, closes the hook and slides over the top of saidbeveled face and over the hook 6, leaving the cross thread in the hookto form a new loop. Thus each thread of the ladder constituting the runis successively picked up by the hook and formed by the needle into anew loop as the needle proceeds along the ladder to the end of the run.

A tacking operation with an ordinary needle and thread is then resortedto, such needle and thread being used to fasten or tie the last loop(brought to this point by the repairinig needle herein described) so asto prevent a recurrence of the run. Those skilled in the art ofrepairing such fabrics are familiar with the so-called tacking operationand in many instances are able to close the original break in the fabricin such manner as to constitute a substantially in- In is thereforeunnecessary here to describe this tacking operatlon."

Moreover the purpose of my new needle is not to do this tacking work,(which can best be done by employment of an ordinary sewing needle andthread) but to repair the run. however long or wide it may be.

hile my needle is preferably made in the manner above stated, it mayalso be made in a variety of other forms such as those shown in Figs. 6,7 and 8. In Fig. 6 the body member is designated as 17 the latch memberas 18 and the means for preventing undue rearward movement and turningmovement as 19. 20 is the hook. 21 is an upwardly and rearwardlyextending beveled face having the opening 22 therein. 23 is a downwardlyand rearwardly extending beveled face which is followed by the surface24 and the shoulder 25. The body member 17 has a' cutaway portion 26 anda shoulder 27. It also has a notch 28 adapted to receive a thread orelastic band 29 which bears upon the upper surface of the shuttle memberadjacent the notch 28 and makes a frictional contact on said shuttlemember which acts to tion-of the rear end of the shuttle adapted tocoact with part 21 to prevent undue turn ing movement of the shuttlemember.

In Fig.7 the spring 22 attached to body.

member 23 extends through opening 24 in said body member and contactsthe cutaway portion of shuttle 25' at 26'serving to prevent unduerotation of the shuttle member and also frictionally bearing against theshuttle member so as to preventpremature closing of the hook during theoperation of the needle. The rear; endof the shuttle is: pointed at 27tobear against the. closed rear end of the body member at 28 andthusrestrict rearward movement of the latch. 29'

is the hook. 30 and 31 are beveled portions f of the latch by means ofwhich the latch-is opened and closed by a thread.f 32 is an opening forthe reception of the point of the hook.

In Fig. 8 there is a spring 33 set in a cutaway portion 34-of shuttle35, said spring frictionally contacting the inner surface of the bodymember at 36 to prevent premature closing of the latch during theoperation ofthe needle. The rearward movementand the turning movement ofthe latch are restrained by the end piece 37 and coacting rear member 38of the shuttle. 39 is the hook; 40 and 41 are beveled faces adapted tocoact with a thread to open and close the hook when the needle is beingoperated .for the purpose of repairing a run.

In order that a needle of the character herein described may be operatedsuccessfully in the class of work for which it is designed, it isimportant that the shuttle member fit in the body member in such mannerthat the, shuttle will move :freely back and forth in its channel. Toobtain satisfactor fitted in t e bod normally move 0 its own weight backand forth in its channel when the needle is in an. upright position andis then turned so that first one end and then the other extendsupwardly. While it. is necessary to have the needle adjusted sothat theshuttle and body member will constitute a-looselysliding fit withreference to each other, it is also necessary, when the needle is heldinan upright position for the purpose of repairing the fabric, that theshuttle be restrained from closing the hook during the upward-movementof the needle while the loop .of thread slides downwardly over thesurface 12 until it contacts the beveled face 11. This purpose ing theresults the shuttle should be member so. that it willis aceom lished inmy present invention by devices or causing friction at another part 'ofthe needle which will be slightlv greater than the friction of the 100against the sur-.

face 12.- Inthe preferred mm of my device the spring 5 'isz'employed forthis purpose.

Inform of device shown in Fig. 6 this purposeis accomplished by means ofa thread or an elastic band which surrounds the needle and bears againstthe shuttle at 28,

and in Figs. 7. and 8 springs are used for this purpose. In each ofthese devices the amount of the friction may be adjusted as desired byregulating the tension of the means employed against thevsurface inconnectionwith which it. operates.

While the different forms of devices illustrated all employ a closedtube with an interior rod actin 'f as a shuttle, itis obvious that thebody of thetneedle"might consist of a membercomprising a channeledportion in which theslidin'g -latch isheld and its longitudinal androtary movement limited by rivets orjother suitable means, a feature ofmypresent invention consisting in the providing of regulatablefrictional, means for preventing the premature closing of the hook-.during theioperation of the needle, whether this'purpose beaccomplished by the use of a spring an elastic band or thread, byflexbody-inember or the shuttle, or by any other means whatsoever.

The term regulatable frictional means, as employed in the next precedingparagraph,

is intended to refer to frictional means which 100 can be increasedordiminished as may be necessary. "Each of the frictional means hereinshown and described can be so regulated. The friction of the means shownin Figs. 6 and 7 can be regulated without disassembling the needlessince such means are located on the outside of the needles. To increaseordiminish the friction in the type of needle shown in Fig. 6'it is onlynecessary to tighten orloosen the band or thread 29; i and the frictionmay be increased or dimin 'ished mthe; type of needle shown in Fig. 7

by flexingto a greater or less extent the spring 22or by replacing thespring with one having greater or lesstensional strength.

The .frictioncan be increased or diminished in the preferred form of myneedle by removing the spring-carrying member 3 (it being understoodthat the spring 5 may be inwith one of greater-or lesstensional'strength. 125

To increase ,or decrease the friction, in the type of needle shown in g.8 it is necessary to disassemble the needle; however this can readilybedone by removing the end piece 37 (which is clamped or otherwisetightly 'tegral with or detachable from member M be increased ordiminished by flexing. it to 'a greater orfless extent, or the desiredpurpose can be accomplished by substituting a spring of. greater or lesstens onal strength.

', In order that the needle-inlay opcrateproperlyin repairing a run itis essential that the 'll'lLtlOll caused by the means employed forthispurpose-shall be slightly greater than.

the friction caused lay-the loopon the shuttle as itslide'sd(')wn\\"ar(.ll v along the surface 12, however it must permit thedownward movement of the latch to close the hook as the loop bearsagainst the beveled face 11. If the friction is too strong thedescending loop will enter the openhook instead of sliding over it, andit'thefriction is too weak the ascends ing book will he closedpremati'n'ely, with the result that the hook will-fail topick up the adjacentcrossthread and the descending loop will slip ovei'"'tlie.'hookandcausei i thread with conset u'ent{extension 1'un.

ofv the ward and forwardmoveinent'of the latch in its channel and'suchfrictioniconld notliej tltijllStQd'iO meet the delicate requirements of"successful operation of tbe'needlelnnless by a slight flexing'o t themay member-or the shut-Q tle as above suggested;- conse'quentlyindcpendent frictionaln eans, includingthose of a flexible o'rvresilient -natu1-'e," :ire preferably employed. The means hereinshownandde scribed have proven efficient for this puruwe. 1Q"; i

\Vhat I claim j 3 Y 1. In -a' sliding latch needle for repairing runs asluink mcmber terminating-in ahook;

a latch member adapted tohe moved by athrcad backand forthialong saidshank memher to open and member having at one end thereof a beveled facewith an opening therein adapted tore-" and frictional ccive the point ofthe hook; means adapted to prevcnt'the premature clospaired.

2. A needle as described in claim 1, with the v I ciprocatmg motionthrough a 'klllttutl fabric additional feature that the frictional meansthereof for preventing the premature closing of the hook forn'is part ofthe needle.

3. A needle as described in claim 1, with the .additii-inal feature thatthe frictional means close said hook,- said latch sliding latch member,the end of saidlatch member having an upwardly and rearwardly slantingsurface with an opening therein adapted to receive the point of saidhook and adjacent to said surface a downwardly'and rearwardly slantingsurface forming on the latch a projection whereby a loop of thread maybe retained on the needle until the hook picks up an adjacent crossthread of the run being repaired and the latchcloses the hook on saidthread preparatoryto pulling said thread through said loop to form a newloop.

'6. A needle having a plurality of. members including a hook and meansfor opening and closing said hook, two of said members being in slidingrelation to each other and comprising means" adapting the needleforrepairingruns in knitted fabrics including a shouldercupon one ofsaid members for relstricting the longitudinal movement of a v a c ethread along the member in a direction away The adjustment of 'thelatchinfthe b' d member with'a' degree of tensionone'against v the othersufficient to answer the purpose is extremelydifficult sincesuchfriction steadily decreases witlrthe wear caused b 'tbebackfrom saidhook. I P 7'. A needle having aplurality of members including a hook andmeans for opening and closing said hook adapted to be operated by athread. two of said members being in sliding relation -to each other andcomprising means adapting the-needle for repairing runs in knittedfabrics including ashoulderfupon one of said members for restricting thelongitudinal movement of a thread along the member in a direction awayfrom said book.

8. A needle having a shank member terminating in-a hook and a latchmember for W opening and closing said hook adapted to be operated by athread, said members being In sliding relation to each other andcomprising neans adapting the needle for repairing runs in knitted fabricsincluding a depression terminating in a shoulder upon the latch memberfor restricting the longitudinal movement of a thread along that memberin a direction vaway from said hook. I 9.. A needle adapted tohe movedwith a re- "cip'rocatingmotion through a knitted fabric for repairingruns or'rav'els therein, comprising a plurality of members containingmeans for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel in; itsreciprocating motion.

10. A needle adapted to be moved witha resaid hook.

to limit the extremepositions .of the needle 11. A. needle adapted to bemoved with a reciprocating motion through a knitted fabric for repairingruns or ravels therein, comprising a shank member terminating in a hooand a, latch member, said members containing means including a shoulderfor co-acting with a-thrcad of the run or ravel to limitthe extremepositions of'the needle in its reciprocating motion, and the latchmember containing means including a beveled face and a depression in itsupper surface for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to bringsaid latch member in opened and closed relation with said hook.

12. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through aknitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprls-. ing ashank member terminating in a hook and a latch member, said membersbeing in sliding relation to each other and one of said memberscontaining means including a shoulder for co-acting with a thread of therun or ravel to limit the extreme position of the needle in itsreciprocating motion below the fabric, and the latch member containing abeveled face and a depression in its upper surface for co-acting with athread of the run or ravel to bring said latch member in opened andclosed relation with said hook.

13. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through aknitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shankmember terminating in a hook and a latch member, said members beingjnsliding relation to each other and containing means for co-acting with athread of, the run or ravel to limit the extreme positions of theneedlefiin its reciprocating motion, and the latch member containingmeans for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel to move said latchmember in opened and closed relation with said hook at predeterminedtimes'as said needle is-respectively moved downwardly an, upwardlythrough the fabric.

14. A needle adapted to be movedwith a reciprocating motion through aknitted fabric for repairing runs or ravels therein, com 1'15- inga;shank member terminating in a co and a latch member, said membersbeing in sliding relation to each other, and the latch member containingmeans including a beveled face and a depression in'its upper surfaceterminating in a shoulder for co-acting with a thread of the run orravel to limit the extreme position of the needle in its reciprocatingmotion below the fabric and to move sal latch member in opened andclosed relation with said hook at predetermined times as said needle isrespectively moved downwardly and upwardly through the fabric.

15. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocatin motion through aknitted fabrlc for repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shankmember terminating in a hook and a latch member, said members being insliding relation to each other, and the member containing means forco-acting with a thread of the run or ravel including a beveled k facefor moving said latch member to opened relation with said hook, adepression for moving said latch member to closed relation with saidhook and a shoulder upon one of said members for co-acting with a threadof the run or ravel to limit the needle in its reciprocating motionbelow the fabric only at the predetermined time of the latchmember beingin opened relation with said hook.

16. A needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through aknitted fabric for repairingruns or ravels therein, .comprising a shankmember terminating in a hook, a latch member. and frictional means, saidmembers being in sliding relation to each other, and one of said memberscontaining a shoulder'for co-acting with a thread of the run or ravel tolimit the extreme position of the needle in its reciprocating motionbelow the fabric, the latch member containing means for co-actin with athread of the run or ravel to move said latch member in o ened andclosed relation with said hook, sai frictional means being adapted toprevent the premature closing of the hook when the needle is movedthrough the fabric being repaired. t

17. A. needle adapted to be moved with a reciprocating motion through aknitted fabric for repairin runs or ravels therein, comprising a shanmember terminating in a 00k and a latch member, said members he-' ing insliding relation to each other, and the latch member containing abeveled face and a depression in-its-uppersurfaceswhereby a loop ofthread may be retained thereon until said loop moves the latch to aclosed position with relation to the hook preparatory to pulling saidcross-thread enclosed in the d hook through said loop to form a newloop.

18. Aneedle adapted to be moved with a reci rocating motion through aknitted fabric or repairing runs or ravels therein, comprising a shankmember terminating in a hook 4 k and a latch member, said members beingin sliding relation to eachother, and the latch member having a beveledface and a depression in its upper surface whereby a loop of thread maybe retained thereon until the hook picks up an adjacent cross-thread ofthe run eing repaired and pulls said cross-thread .into a new loop, andone of said members (1 containing a shoulder for co-acting with the lopof thread to limit the movement of the pefidle in its reciprocatingmotion below the a me. 1

19. A needle adapted to be moved with a reci rocating motion through aknitted fab-- v ric or repairin runs or ravels therein, comprising ashall member terminating in a hook and a latch member, said membersbeing in sliding relation to each other, the latch member containing abeveled face and a depression in its upper surface for co-acting with a100 of thread whereby said-latch member may e moved to opened relationwith said hook and said loop of thread may be retained'thereon until-thehook picks up an adfacent' cross-thread of the run being reaired andpulls said cross-thread into a new 00p, said depression terminating atone end in a shoulder for co-acting with the loop of thread to limit themovement of the needle in its reciprocating motion below the :fabric,and terminating 'at the other end'in a sloping portion whereby saidlatch member is moved to closed position by said retained loop uponreversing the movement of the ne'edle through the fabric and theretained loop is cast off over the hook, and the cross-thread, enclosedin the hook by the latch, is pulled 'into a new loop. g

20. The method ofrepairing runs or ravels in fabrics'which' consistsinstretchingthe fabric, inserting into a loop formed in the run or ravel aneedle comprising a shank member terminating in a hook portion and asliding latch member, one of said members containing a shoulder and thelatch member having a beveled face and a depression in its uppersurface, continuing the movement ofsaid needle onthrough. the fabricuntil the loop has opened the latch by sliding upwardly over the beveledface and limits the downward movement of said needle by sliding into thedepression and against said shoulder, catching the next forward threadin the book while the loop is beingpulled over the latch causing thelatch to co-act with the hook portion in-closed relation and the loop tobe cast off over the endof the .hook portion,

loop to be cast off over the end of the hook portion, the thread caughtin the hook limiting the movement of upward travel of the needle andforming a new loop taking the place of the first described loop, thenreinserting the needle intothe fabric as before and repeating theoperation until the run or ravel has been repaired.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

Y STANLEY W. FINCH.

the thread caught in the hook limiting themovement of upward travel ofthe needle and forming a new loop taking the place of the firstdescribed loop then reinserting the needle into the fabric as. beforeand repeating the operation until the run or ravel has been repaired.

21. The method of repairing runs or ravels in knitted fabrics which.consists in stretching the fabric, inserting into the loop formed in therun or ravel a needle comprising a shank member terminating in a hookportion and a slidingvlatch member, the latter havinga beveled face anda depression in its upper surface terminating in a shoulder, con.-tinuing the movement of said needle on through the fabric until the loophas opened the latch by sliding upwardly over the beveled surface andlimits the downward movement of said needle by sliding into thedeprcssion and against said shoulder, then reversing the movement of theneedle through the fabric catching the next forward thread in the hookwhile the loop. is being pulled over the latch causing the latch to'co-act with the hook portion in closed relation and the

